BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

30/06/2009

Belarus harbors naval ambitions

Landlocked Belarus' Transport and Communication Ministry has announced that it wants to develop a merchant navy, to convey the 20 million tons of cargo it currently transports over water. Belarusian First Deputy Transport and Communication Minister Nikolai Verkhovets announced the plans at a press conference on June 30, BelTA news agency reports.

He noted that Belarus currently depends upon foreign shippers to transport goods by sea, "We give these opportunities to the companies that have fleets while it would be more profitable to use a mercantile navy of our own," he said.

There are different ways Belarus can set up its merchant navy. Possibilities are using Russian and Lithuanian partners, and Minsk has already entered into negotiations with Russia's Sovcomflot. So far without success, "Sovcomflot demands that Belarusian cargo owners should use only the services of this company. But we cannot accept it because we will be dependent on a single transporter that will dictate its rules," Verkhovets said. However, "The Lithuanian colleagues are interested in delivering our cargoes at good prices. We are interested in setting up a Belarusian company that will work in Belarus," he added. Providers from non former soviet states are also being considered.

The world financial crisis presents its problems for Belarus, but it also means that this could be the time to buy, "Opportunities for buying maritime vessels at lower prices have emerged," said Belarusian Head of the Sea and River Transport Office of the Transport and Communication Ministry, Bronislav Govorovsky. "We are analyzing the situation. Efforts are being put into attracting investors with vessels to Belarus. They could be used in the republic and could transport Belarusian cargoes."

Source:

http://www.mosnews.com/money/2009/06/30/belnavy/

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